ICA hopefuls tuck into meaty TV challenge

SOME people will do anything for fame.

While reality TV stars have long been through cringeworthy tasks on I'm A Celebrity and Big Brother, our equivalents are being put through the ringer on RTE's ICA Bootcamp.

Drama teacher Emma Barry (22), beautician Jessica Keating (22), Melissa Branigan (27) and fitness instructor Emma Weafer (25) will be given one of the least enviable tasks in the competition -- by cutting open a pig's brain and cooking up a delicacy known as brawn.

However, these girls show that they aren't just pretty faces, and proved they are willing to roll up their sleeves by even eating some of their homecooked meal on next week's episode.

The RTE Two show, which was a hit last year when it starred socialities Michele McGrath and Colette McBarron, who hit the headlines for their onscreen catfights, has reformatted its second series by recruiting four unknown 'city girls' to participate in a series of arduous tasks.

The girls have all moved out of their various homes throughout the country to their new base of An Grianan in Termonfeckin, Co Louth, for their stint on the show.

BLAME

According to the programme's latest teaser: " In their bid to be the best, the girls appear to bite off more than they can chew in the fashion challenge; and like bad workmen, they blame their tools when they serve up undercooked liver.

"They learn how to wrestle sheep to the ground in sub-zero temperatures and demonstrate just how competitive ironing can get. And they are forced to overcome their squeamishness when asked to cook brawn -- a delicacy made from pig's head -- and butcher a whole side of pork.

"The week's rivalry culminates in the recruits trying to win over a visiting ICA guild with traditional Irish coffees and an array of musical party pieces. Just one of the girls can be declared the winner and get the chance to compete for the grand title of ICA Recruit of the Year 2011."

Already a number of familiar faces on the social scene have taken part in this series in their bid to be named the overall winner of the competition, including Assets model Tiffany Stanley.